Try Hockey for Free Day encourages youth participation

On a recent Saturday morning, over 40 kids put on some hockey equipment, grabbed a hockey stick and braved the ice, many for the very first time. In a nationwide event, the Rams Hockey hosted Try Hockey for Free Day in conjunction with USA Hockey and local sponsors Cedar Rock Sports Plex and Java Gym. This is an annual nationwide event, and this year over 430 sites across the country participated—all in an effort to introduce kids ages 4 to 9 to the sport of youth hockey.

Rams Hockey president, Dave Bina, called the event a huge success. Offering youth in our community the opportunity to try hockey without any cost obligation is pretty special. Rams Hockey is always looking to encourage participation in the sport of youth hockey, and this event did just that.

The place was buzzing with happy parents and skaters, especially when Griff from the Grand Rapids Griffins showed up to play! The participants had a great time, but those presiding over the event, Rams Hockey volunteers and players, were having just as much fun.

Rams Hockey, the Rockford Hockey Association, is a Redwings Premiere Hockey Association and offers options for all ages and skill levels. Learn-to-Skate and Learn-to Play programs are currently running and new sessions will start in January. Anyone interested can learn more at www.rockfordhockey.org.

The Squire has been Rockford’s free weekly newspaper since 1871. Our loyal readership includes over fifteen thousand homes in the Rockford area, including the affluent Lakes area of Lake Bella Vista, Bostwick Lake and Silver Lake; Belmont, Blythefield, as well as Algoma, Courtland, Cannon and Plainfield Townships. The Squire is distributed through the U.S. Post Office every Thursday. We also deliver to in-town businesses and homes with paper carriers and news stands in our grocery stores and over thirty local shops.